Hello All,
Please see the information from the last department council meeting. This meeting was the last meeting held on April 26. Next meeting is July 5. If you have any questions
for the department, please let me know before then.
Thanks,
Becky
CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
REPORTS
Dr. Cattani responded to Becky’s question about a new lunch/coffee room. Room 310 will remain a meeting room but when not booked for meetings, can be used as a staff lunch/coffee
room. A sink will be re-installed in the room.
NEW BUSINESS
• Building security: Members do not feel safe. The entire campus will eventually be accessed using key cards. Dr. Scanlon can ask for the Agriculture Building to be moved up
in this process. He was asked if the Plant Science wing could be secured separately during evenings and weekends. He will look into this as well as securing the greenhouse area during evenings and weekends.
• Replacement of our Point facilities and adding storage space to the prairie crops and soils research facility
• Curriculum and student experience: Spaces for students to get together are needed in the Agriculture complex. The Dean responded that with reduced need for computer facilities,
space for this will become available.
• Classroom equipment: In the ideal world, all classrooms would have a web cam to facilitate the hybrid experience.
• Controlled Environment Facility: The Dean reported that he has received no feedback on the request to UM for the controlled environment facility. There is currently no new
funding at UM for infrastructure.
• To enhance the curriculum, establish a space in the new controlled growth facility for a farmers market.
• Department Head: Dr. Cattani has agreed to extend his acting head role until June 30, 2024. They are currently looking at re-structuring departments within FAFS to facilitate
greater ownership of degrees.
Seminar attendance
• Dr. Entz indicated that attendance at seminars is low and thinks graduate student attendance at the Plant Science Seminar series and the master’s seminar series should be mandatory.
As well, attendance by faculty members should be monitored. The Seminar Committee should put a policy in place to require attendance.
• Faculty members should be required to attend defenses.
• Faculty members should present.
• Lauren Gislason added that attendance at events in general is poor. Graduate students no longer know each other.
• There was a consensus that the department in general is fragmented since COVID.
• Lauren Gislason, Dr. Entz, Dr. McCartney and Dr. Chawla agreed to form a committee to investigate strategies to reunite the department.
• Dr. Cattani added that a “meet and greet” will be held in the summer.